New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-03
OPENING-UP AFRICA.
pJrM.ROTTLE AGAINST BIBLE.


vRrE RUM on THE CONGO. WHAT 1T IS DOING
TJIEcE By ". I. HORNADAr. l6no. PIP l4o.
Chicago: Womans Temperance fuohc@tioh AsSo-
rh.re is morning so discouraging in life the
contradiction given by the practice of men to their
nrofessions and now here is this contradiction 40
glaringly exposed in the action of those virtual
ly irrespon sbc entities called States. The ethics
of governments are by no means always on level
with those OF the people they represent Often,
and especially in modern times the policy of the
government on lower moral plane than the
peop,e occupy, and when number of States meet
together in International council 1t may easily
happen that the ethical standard finally dominat-
ing the proceedings is as much below the average
of the governments represented rs they IN their
turn are below the average of popular morality.
This was very clearly the case at that Berlin Con-
ference of 1SS4's5 which adopted the principle OF
rec trade for the Congo. and in so dong at one
srokc deprived the Congo Free state OF n revenue
for SUBSISTENCE and threw Africa open TO crusade
Of debauchery. No more Illuminating spectacle Is
often afforded the world than was exhibited on
this occasions: when the United States and Great
Fritain vainly protested against the monstrous
wrong projected against helpless heathendom oy
alI-powerful Chris.endom and when the German
and Dutch makers and sellers of the vllest aico-
hollc poi>ons, literally dictated their own terms to
the Great Powers and secured solemn assent to
the infamous principle that the right 10 sell rum on
the Congo without restriction was of nero i'm
portance than the right of the African people 10
protection against physical and mental ruin.
The evil work was contaminated, however. and
ever since a river IF rum broad aud deep almost as
the Congo itself, has been pouring into Africa ms
is the first civilIzing step taken by the Christian
Powers since the abolition of slavery. As the evil
Gence brought together by Mr. Hornaday IN his
telling little book clearly shows. the question OIL
free rum the Congo is rapidly assuming gravity
rot even second to that of slavery. 1t may be that
through the slavery of the past considerable part
of the negro family Will ultimately be raised to real
civilization emil ghtenment and prosperity. But no
future good by any possibility spring from the
present evil of free rum on the Congo. The African
races have natural passion tor intoXlcantS, and
their climate is deadly TO drinkers. These two
facts are the keys to the whole situation. Rum has
been welcomed by these grown-up children with
fearful avidlty. So eagerly Is it sought so precious
Is il held, that in many parts OF Africa IT has
become the currency of the country. For purposes
of barter it has superseded cloth and beads and
every hing else Traders who have taken cara
vans into the interior loaded with the usual artl-
Giles of truck have been Obliged to return to
the coast because the natives refused everything
but rum. And the Christian merchants and trad
eTs, the snug pewhOlderS, the supporters or Tor
eGn missions. the strai-laced professors respond
to the negros demand with constituencies aacrity
Mr. Hornaday gives statistics which show that !
In one year-1SS5-over 100000 gallons !
of alcoholic liquors were imported by
the United States, the Netherlands. Germany. |
France aud Great Britain, to the Congo country
1t is true chat Germany and the Netherlands ship
ped by far the greater portion of the filthy stuff
their share amounting to 5000, 900 out of the /
10 600 600 gallons 1t is to keep the way open for
this abominabe German and Dutch traffic that the /
other nations are dscredting themselves by par !
ticipaton in the shameful policy of free rum. Not
that the United States and ngand are themselves |
gulltless. In the year named above New England |
rum to the amount of 737. $50 gallons found its !
way TO the Congo and Great Britain sent 81 1854
gallons. Neither the one nor the other quantity is |
considerable enough to afford the most sordid
excuse for the position taken by the representa-
tives of tic English-speakiug peoples IN thsq ues
ton. Selfinterest of the most conscenceless kind
is obviously tho controlling Influence the !
case of Germany and Holland, but America and |
England are plainly sacrificing their characters |
and soilng their records only that some greedy and
brutal foreign traders may be enriched through |
the ruin of the negroes.
1t is worse than useless for pOus people to sub
scribe to African missions while rum Is free OH the
Congo The churches must realize this. A. be- |
tition between the two agencies Is unrestricted. +
tie latter will always gain the day. That is the
present situation in Africa and the missions are
rapidly falling in decadence. Mr. liornadav cites
the complaint Of one missionary, near the coast,
that he could hardly muster a sober congregation
for service. OF course the evil is spreading with
the speed of contagious disease. 1t must
do so, inasmuch as rum is welcomed with
enthusiasm by its destined victims. No
persaasl IN is required to introduce it TO They
would sell their souls for 1t if they could Having
1t they Will do no work. but at once abandon them
selves to debauch 70 procure 1T they will JON in
slave hunts and massacre their nearest ncighbors
Savage by nature drink makes devils Of them, and
renders all prospect of raising them vain. This is
what is called in the euDhemism Of state papers
and conferences introducing civiiiza ion into
Africa" and the adoption of the means Is termed
protecting commerce." Meanwhile the churches
here and Great Britain continue prolfer Ie,ti
ments ard hymn-books and exponnd complicated
theological systems, to the degraded creatures
whose intelligence never rises above thai Of boy
OF twelve, AID whose narrow understanding is
now wholly upset by incubation with the white
mans rum. There in the Congo BASIN inst
about as many people as in these United States at
tine last census. How many there Will be ten years
hence however, is quite another consideration. In
what we call civilization at h0nc, population in /
creases in known ratio. In what We call civili-
zatIon abroad, population shrinks with appalling |
rapidity. The Christian rum has blasted savage
races all over the globe. They wiher under its |
destructive contact. At the rate it is beng |
poured INTO the Congo country only the usual re-
suits can be anticipated
OF the reality and extent Of the evil there be |
no question. Chrisendom. horrible the mere
statement must appear to conscientious aud |
women, IS employing It's power and its superior |
knowledge to make Africa drunk and to ruin and |
destroy the negro race. IL is idle to mince the |
matter. That is wha; it comes to that and moth
ing less 1t is some alienation of the degrading !
To reii AnerIcl aud Enrlan nd did